The good the Bad the Ugly - December edition

[Jordon]

I've spent a bit of time exploring December since the massive overhaul of Raspy1 plus the inclusion of Raspy2 and Kaltgeists. I feel like both versions of Raspy are in a good place but the rest of the keyword is still a bit of a mess. 

I'll start with my opinions of what I consider good or at least competent. 

Snowstorm:

I like them as a good all round model. I've certainly heard others complain that they don't do enough but I've generally had good experiences with them. Ice Tornado has a lot of utility but you're really wanting those triggers. Also with puncture and charge through, you can really make use of that damage track. Decembers command is quite limited (basically golem taxi) but is otherwise quite useful. 

I do wish Decembers Command could target more models, especially with Raspy2. The only other big thing is that I really wish SnowStorm had Ice Mirror. Snow still is a silent one after all and having the extra range on the Tornado would be much appreciated on a model with very little in terms of defence. 

Wendigo: 

A bit squishy but at the end of the day is still a Mv6 significant totem. I wish it had better defence but overall I usually get my value from this totem. 

Blessed of December:

Not many complaints here either. The speed is just insane with this model. Hard hitting with some really great triggers. It can basically do whatever you need. My only real complaint is that there isn't much synergy as it doesn't really care about slow/staggered/ice pillars and generally works better with Marcus than Raspy. It doesn't really matter though as I'm still taking this model in every list. 

Ice Golem: 

I wasn't originally sold on him as he basically needed Snowstorm in order to function. However now with new Raspy1 and Raspy2, the golem has a new lease on life. Kaltgeist can really send this model over the top and he's gone from largely ignorable to the biggest threat in Raspy's arsenal. Also bonus points for being really good with Sandeep2. 

Kaltgeist: 

These models do so damn much for Raspy. Both versions are probably bringing multiples. The crew just works so much more efficiently with mobile ice pillars. Poor Ice gamin have been completely invalidated. 

 

Alright time for the bad. These are the models that simply don't work and I'm never reaching for them regardless of the situation.

 

Acolytes: 

These guys are just plain bad all round. Even as summons, they still don't feel particularly impactful. Tools for the Job is their only redeeming ability but the rest is either situational or just outright bad. Poor melee, no defence, no synergy AND they actually get penalized by Ice Pillars. Thankfully not with Raspy1 anymore, but I still don't hire them so the point is moot. 

They just bring nothing to the table outside of their high price tag. From the Shadows just gets them killed, Sacrifice to December is awful when your opponents are gaining cover from your ice pillars and they're just terrible in melee. Analyze Weakness has very corner case uses but it's too niche to really give much value. I honestly think they're Raspy's worst hire and a contender for worst minion in the whole faction IMO

 

Ice Gamin:

These were never really great hires and have since become worst. Simply put Kaltgiest just overshadow these models completely. At least before they had a niche with Frostbite and their demise. However Kaltgiest do both of these things so incredibly better that even with factoring in the 1ss reduction, its no contest. Kaltgiest have better ranged, better melee, WAY better synergy.

Encase in Ice is literally the only thing they have that's special but that's not enough to justify their hiring. It also doesn't't help that they are also the worst of the gamin options for Sandeep as well. So these guys just have no place anywhere. 

 

 

Moving onto the Ugly. These are models that have major flaws or something that causes an internal balance. 

 

Silent Ones: 

Amazing models! In fact maybe a bit too amazing... I do think they're generally fine with Raspy but the healing should be limited to December models. I see these models way too frequently in just about every competitive arcanist list.  Strong synergy, amazing threat/support range, these ladies do it all. Why would I ever want to pay more for an Acolyte when these models exist. 

 

Hoarcat: 

Okay so I think they are actually pretty decent with Raspy2 as a summon. This might also be compounded by the fact that the other summon options (Silent Ones excluded) are so bad. That's really it though. Raspy1 has no reason for hiring them and Marcus gets virtually nothing - likely being the worst beast option now that molemen got buffed.

Giving them armour 1 and summoning them upfield (unactivated) gives them the shot in the arm they need but it's also why I consider them ugly as there really seems to be an internal balance with them. If you buff them then they're simply going to be too good with Raspy2. However in their current form they won't ever get hired. 

I know Marcus is not who this model should be balanced around but I do think there should be SOME reason for its inclusion with Marcus. Raspy1 simply can't find a spot for it as your going to be filling up those spots with Kaltgeist, who at the same cost just do so much more.

 

Ice Dancer: 

She has a very similar issue to the Hoarcat. I think she's gotten better since Raspy2 and Kaltgeist. The problem here however is that she's clearly meant as a schemer but as a summon she looses much of that role. So instead your using her as a beater mostly, which in that case just go for a Hoarcat. 

Again though, I think her biggest problem is that she has the performer keyword but basically can't function in a performer list. Unlike the Hoarcat and Marcus, this model is actually meant to work with Colette but simply cannot due to the lack of ice pillars. If she could move and target ANY friendly marker, then I could see her having some life with Colette (especially if she could interact with decoy markers)

So again, in her current form I do think you'll occasionally see her on the table but because she doesn't work with Colette and is an awkward summon, she's in the Ugly category. 

 

 

So in my experience so far, my lists have basically become stale in terms of hiring. I'm always taking Kaltgeist, Silent Ones and Blessed. Snowstorm and Ice Golem are strong considerations and that's basically my 50ss in a nutshell. I just don't see a situation where I'm hiring the remaining minions. Even if I do, I can often find a better versatile substitute.

 

How have other peoples experiences been with the new December keyword? Much the same as mine?   

[Cats Laughing]

IMHO, if models have a niche where they fit in and are ok in that slot (such as your comment on Hoarcats being a decent summon for Raspy2), then they are fine and don't need changes that will make them good everywhere else and probably too good in their current niche.  Yes, it might be possible to bring up Hoarcats too be good hires for both versions of Raspy and Marcus, while also not being over the top as a summon, but it's likely that takes more work than is efficient and if they're fine as a summon for Raspy2, then that's a good enough niche.

The game is wide enough, and the way crews are hired allows for niche hiring/summons, that having models be good in a niche but not worthwhile elsewhere is fine.  Trying to make all models good everywhere isn't good for the game imho.

 

On a similar tangent, things being a bit below curve is also fine, as long as they can do something.

Ice Dancers aren't going to make a competitive player drool, but they have enough scheming ability that a player who doesn't worry about taking top tier stuff can get work out of them and have fun.  That's an ok place for some models to be.  Of course, changing "Freeze the Corpse" to be able to target scheme (friendly?) or corpse markers, would allow the Ice Dancer to supply her own Ice Pillars in a Performer crew, which would be pretty cool, and would kind of buff her in December crews too, as another reliable source of Ice Pillars.  Allowing Ice Dancers to remove enemy scheme markers that way might push them too far, so making it friendly scheme marker might a safer buff, but that would need to be evaluated.

 

Likewise, things slightly above curve are potentially ok. 

Yes, seeing Silent Ones as the December keyword export to the Arcanist cause isn't awesome, but I don't think they are breaking the game.  I wouldn't mind seeing them nerf+buffed in a way that makes them less great OOK and still good in December, but not at the expense of the faction as a whole.  For instance I could see Healing Energy become a 1/1/2 that gains a +1 healing if targeting a December model, but in another thread Arcanist players were noting the Silent One gets taken OOK because the other healers in faction are so bad, so if the Silent one got such a nerf+buff, it would be good to look at the other healers in faction to make sure the faction as a whole is fine.

 

All of the above said, I do think that your Bad & Ugly lists could be looked at and potentially tweaked and I'd be happy to see some buffs and nerf+buffs.

[Jordon]

I had some ideas on how to change some of these models. Trying to keep them thematic but also to give it a unique role. 

 

 

Ice Gamin: 

• Change Encase in Ice to apply focus+1 instead of shielded +1 (probably change the name). 

So my thinking here is to give the Ice Gamin a way to add some efficiency without stepping on the toes of the Kaltgeist. Focus is generally more useful than shielded and just this simple change alone, I think would see it as a viable hire for both Raspy and Sandeep.

 

December Acolyte:

• Replace Drag trigger with Lead Target
• Gain the ability to place corpse markers in base contact with itself upon killing its target 
• Gain ability to get on attack flips targeting models with half wounds or less (replaces from the shadows)
• Add bloody fate  trigger to harpoon (draw a card, discard if you didn't kill)

Acolytes need the most work. I like to see them as opportunists, picking off the wounded and dragging their corpses back to feast on. Lead Target is way more valuable than drag as it allows you push models back into ice pillars, keeping them relevant. Lastly adding in a tome trigger for some more hand efficiency as well as giving the acolyte all four suits to maximize Tools for the Job. 

 

 

Silent One:

• Change Healing Energy so it only heals 1 damage or 1/2/3 if targeting December. 

Simple fix to cut down on the OOK healing power. Doesn't kill them completely OOK but does heavily limit them, hopefully allowing for other in keyword healing to become more viable. 

 

 

Hoarcat:

• Change Tundra Hunter to "within 2" of an Ice Pillar or Corpse Marker"

This just opens the cats up slightly into having their signature ability work with Marcus more easily.

 

 

Ice Dancer: 

• Change Ice Path into "Target Ice Pillar or Scheme Marker" 
• Replace Freeze the Corpse with Covered in Ice - Place an Ice pillar in base contact with target terrain marker and remove the terrain marker (add stat/TN) 

Same idea in giving them more utility with Colette. Also widening Freeze Corpse into some marker removal. Something both crews have no access to (in keyword). This would let her work as well in either keyword and also giving a nice tech option for marker removal.  

 

 

[Cursed25]

15 hours ago, Jordon said:

December Acolyte:

• Replace Drag trigger with Lead Target
• Gain the ability to place corpse markers in base contact with itself upon killing its target 
• Gain ability to get on attack flips targeting models with half wounds or less (replaces from the shadows)
• Add bloody fate  trigger to harpoon (draw a card, discard if you didn't kill)

Acolytes need the most work. I like to see them as opportunists, picking off the wounded and dragging their corpses back to feast on. Lead Target is way more valuable than drag as it allows you push models back into ice pillars, keeping them relevant. Lastly adding in a tome trigger for some more hand efficiency as well as giving the acolyte all four suits to maximize Tools for the Job. 

For the acolytes I just wish they got tundra hunter instead of from the shadow! this would make them into a great glass canon! Tundra hunter is an awesome ability but the only model we have with it don't want to attack enemies 90% of the time!

[DuBlanck]

On 5/17/2022 at 3:52 PM, Cats Laughing said:

changing "Freeze the Corpse" to be able to target scheme (friendly?) or corpse markers, would allow the Ice Dancer to supply her own Ice Pillars in a Performer crew, which would be pretty cool, and would kind of buff her in December crews too, as another reliable source of Ice Pillars

This is also where my mind went to immediately - an easy way to supply themselves with Pillars, using something they might actually have access to. With Performer, that's not going to be Corpse Markers... In December, Enemy markers is a bit too much counter-play power.

@Jordon's idea of giving them generic/terrain marker removal also works.